Dear MyPE Clinics across the province are stuck in limbo, with staff crying out for leadership, as the process of transferring clinics from municipal level to the provincial Department of Health drags on, eight years after the process started. Once again, a lack of decisive leadership and poor planning have left the department in a state of complete disarray. In 2012 the Provincial Department of Health embarked upon a provincialisation process to ensure that the 206 clinics that were … [Read more...] about Provincialisation of EC clinics must be reviewed
Letters to the Editor
Billions of rands of under-collection projected for Nelson Mandela Bay
Dear MyPE The Nelson Mandela Bay is on the verge of economic ruin, with a projected under-collection of R2,6 billion for the municipality in the 2020/21 financial year. This came to light in the Metro’s Covid-19 response plan that was presented to government’s Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Portfolio Committee. The City confirmed that under-collection is expected to reach R670 million for the 2019/2020 financial year. Adding to these woes is the fact that … [Read more...] about Billions of rands of under-collection projected for Nelson Mandela Bay
Assault Allegation Against My Son
Dear MyPE There was a flurry of social media posts relating to all sorts of comments against my son, who is a minor. As a parent and anti-GBV campaigner, I am on record for fighting Gender Based Violence in this country and we hope that the police will do a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of this in-order for justice to prevail. My family and I is not above the law and as such we will appreciate a swift investigation to get this matter to finalization. I was informed that … [Read more...] about Assault Allegation Against My Son
Minister Dlamini-Zuma must instruct NMB Speaker to call Special Council meeting
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has requested the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Nkoszana Dlamini-Zuma, to intervene and ensure that the Speaker of the Nelson Mandela Bay Council calls a special council meeting to elect an Executive Mayor. On 8 June 2020 a petition, signed by the majority of councillors, was served on the Speaker and receipt thereof was acknowledged. The petition was also served on the Speaker, Cllr Buyelwa Mafaya, via email. … [Read more...] about Minister Dlamini-Zuma must instruct NMB Speaker to call Special Council meeting
Lindiwe Zulu still trying to control food distribution
Dear MyPE Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu has issued new regulations governing how food relief can be distributed. A month ago, her first draft regulations were shelved after the DA got a court order to block their implementation. The new regulations don’t repeat the demand for departmental approval of all relief efforts but would still plunge relief efforts into a bureaucratic nightmare where food distribution will be hampered. The new regulations issued last week manage … [Read more...] about Lindiwe Zulu still trying to control food distribution
President Ramaphosa’s action on Copyright Amendment Bill welcomed
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes that President Ramaphosa’s decision to refer the Copyright Amendment Bill back to Parliament is the right decision. This follows the DA’s petition to President Ramaphosa in 2019 to have the Bill sent back due to constitutional concerns. When the Bill was before the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry in the 5th Parliament, The DA argued at the time that it was fatally flawed for a number of reasons including: The introduction of … [Read more...] about President Ramaphosa’s action on Copyright Amendment Bill welcomed
Municipalities must avoid NDZ’s toxic medicine
Dear MyPE Addressing the ANC's OR Tambo School of Leadership at the weekend the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma reportedly said that municipalities must appoint "the right cadres for the job". The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes that the minister has misdiagnosed the ailment, and that her prescription is toxic. “Cadres” are in fact responsible for the decline of municipalities, and their “deployment” should be abolished all … [Read more...] about Municipalities must avoid NDZ’s toxic medicine
We need a “Resilience Budget”
Dear MyPE Finance Minister Tito Mboweni must present a budget that builds national resilience and helps South Africa brace for impact. Negligible economic growth and high levels of debt have obliterated South Africa’s ability to engage in counter cyclical measures- to save in times of plenty, and to spend in a time of crisis. In short, South Africa has lost resilience. Businesses are vulnerable, families are vulnerable, government is vulnerable. Many people have lost their lives and … [Read more...] about We need a “Resilience Budget”
DSTV ‘Programming’
Dear MyPE Yours truly somehow disagrees with Disgruntled (Weekend Post 20 June 2020) regarding DSTV's "can stick it's pathetic programmes." As much as it can be regarded as macabre entertainment, but I enjoyed the now canned 'A 1000 Ways To Die' programme as the narration of its case studies is greatly humorous, albeit heartbreaking. That programmes narrative made me deal with the heartache of losing my one and only sister in March 2009 and my baby brother on my 41st birthday viz. 27 … [Read more...] about DSTV ‘Programming’
‘Scootergate’: DA reports Eastern Cape DOH to Human Rights Commission
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has reported the Eastern Cape Department of Health to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate the suitability of the ‘Medical Motorbikes’ that the Eastern Cape Department of Health launched on Friday the 12th of June for patient transport in the province. It is the contention of the DA that these motorbikes are in contravention of section 27 of the Constitution which guarantees access to healthcare and prohibits the state from … [Read more...] about ‘Scootergate’: DA reports Eastern Cape DOH to Human Rights Commission
Education department’s disciplinary processes in shambles
Dear MyPE The Department of Education’s disciplinary processes are in shambles, with a complete lack of urgency to deal with disciplinary issues, and questionable outcomes when the matters are finally concluded. In response to a parliamentary question, Education MEC, Fundile Gade, confirmed that 61 employees have been suspended with full pay over the past three financial years (2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/2020). The charges against these employees include two cases of rape, several … [Read more...] about Education department’s disciplinary processes in shambles
SASSA’s R350 grant fiasco
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) will submit urgent parliamentary questions to the Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, to ascertain how her department and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) have spent the billions of rands in funding that have been redirected towards social relief. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on 21 April 2020, that the government “will direct R50 billion towards relieving the plight of those who are most desperately affected by the … [Read more...] about SASSA’s R350 grant fiasco
Minister Sisulu and Chris Hani District Municipality are putting lives at risk
Dear MyPE The inability of the Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) to provide water and sanitation to the people of Cradock is endangering lives and the unwillingness of the Department of Water and Sanitation to hold the Municipality to account makes it complicit. The people of Cradock have endured desperate times over the past week as their taps ran dry for 5 days without notice. This was the result of repair work to a broken canal that channels water from the Great Fish River to the … [Read more...] about Minister Sisulu and Chris Hani District Municipality are putting lives at risk
Chatty Dip Accidents
Dear MyPE It is really sad that the Robots / Traffic Lights at the bottom of the R75 / Uitenhage {Chatty Dip} and Chelsea Roads intersection, are used as motorsport regulating signs. The mere fact that there were 2 accidents, one at dawn and one in late afternoon, on the yesterday means that it needs random traffic personnel now and then. Maybe, that intersection would be taken seriously after the materialisation of my Sasol or Shell or BP garage idea at the now-defunct Gqeberha High … [Read more...] about Chatty Dip Accidents
The world’s longest hard lockdown
Dear MyPE President Ramaphosa's announcement of a further lifting of lockdown restrictions is an admission that the lockdown serves no purpose and has failed. He seems to have finally realised just how devastating this lockdown has been – and will continue to be – for ordinary South Africans, but it’s happened far too late. Everything he announced last night could have – and should have – been announced almost two months ago. It is unclear at which level of the lockdown we now find … [Read more...] about The world’s longest hard lockdown
